Interesting story of Craiglist encounter

galipeau

galipeau

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Found a plain McDermott​ on Craigslist last week. Seller wanted 50$, I offered 25$ and he accepted via text message. Offered to meet on Saturday, but he wasn't available, so we settled on Sunday. I was busy and texted him that I couldn't meet, apologized, and offered to meet on a week night. No answer until Thursday.

This is where it gets interesting. Get a text this morning that he got an email appraising the cue as a D1 worth 80-100$. Naturally, he said he wants MORE than our agreed upon price. The pics in the ad were crappy, so I only knew it was an old McDermott, but not what model. I respond saying that I'd be happy to pay the agreed upon about and still meet tonight. His response was that I'm a cheap person and was lowballing him. Best part is that he guarantees that I'll get "a few paid lessons" from him if I show up.

So now I have to go and see what's up. Besides, I was already 5 minutes away from the pool hall at this point. I offer to buy him a beer and diffuse the situation a bit. I explain that his messages came off as a bait and switch kind of deal, but I still wanted to see the cue and maybe work out a deal. Most ironically, he proceeds to tell me that he's a man of his word, yada yada... And by not showing up on Sunday, or deal was negated.

Now some of you know me well enough to know how I do business. If I'm ever in the wrong, I try to make it right, and I always deal fairly. I switch to a different tack at this point and offer to play him for the cue straight up. If he wins, I pay original asking price, but if I win, I walk out with the cue. He wants 100$ on my end... I go as far as to offer 75$ in case I lose!! No dice.

And this guy says I'm cheap.... He wouldn't bet a nickel that hens lay eggs. What are your guys' thoughts??? Am I crazy or do you think I was in the wrong?

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Chopdoc

Chopdoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
When you land a deal on a cue, never wait.

I made a deal on a Huebler for $25 that was in the background of a table for sale. I had to wait two days before I could go pick it up because I had to work.

In the mean time, somebody apparently told him the cue was worth substantially more.

Oh well...there's always the next one.

When people don't know what the cue is worth and they are offering it up cheap that's great. But if they find out it is worth more, I have no issues with them putting the brakes on the sale. I am not going to argue about it even if they agreed to a price with me already. I may just walk.

It happens.

Obviously you ran into a mouth with a pool cue. It's not worth the effort to try to iron that one out. As soon as he said he knew it was worth more and he wanted more I would walk.

Basically, he pretty much assumes you actually knew and you were willing to relieve him of his property for somewhat less than it was worth. He already has his pride a little injured and likely isn't going to be real nice to you...so why bother?

Now...if it was truly a valuable cue I would be willing to hang in there and see what we could work out. But if it was a truly valuable cue I would not have been too busy to go pick it up right away....




The last time this happened to me I actually did just belly up and pay a little more. I ended up paying less than half what the cue was worth anyway.



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jasonlaus

jasonlaus

Rep for Smorg
Silver Member
I woulda reminded him he is a man of his word and beat him out of all the cash he has first, then beat him out of the cue.
Jason
 
Yotehntr

Yotehntr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
jasonlaus said:
I woulda reminded him he is a man of his word and beat him out of all the cash he has first, then beat him out of the cue.
Jason
Click to expand...

+1 yep, what happened to his word... an extra day or 2 makes it crap huh? You did no wrong.
 
Q

qbilder

slower than snails
Silver Member
If he has to tell you he's a man of his word, he's probably not a man of his word.
 
skins

skins

Likes to draw
Silver Member
You made a deal, then YOU "settled" on a day to complete it, THEN cancelled... YOU MAY HAVE PUT YOURSELF OUT .. You gave them time to 'realize' what their offering was worth, potentially :wink:....

That said... it was a $100 cue so I know on YOUR part, and guess on his, that it wasn't a big deal..

LESSON: if you want something bad enough......yeah you get it.:)
 
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Type79

Type79

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
galipeau said:
Found a plain McDermott​ on Craigslist last week. Seller wanted 50$, I offered 25$ and he accepted via text message. Offered to meet on Saturday, but he wasn't available, so we settled on Sunday. I was busy and texted him that I couldn't meet, apologized, and offered to meet on a week night. No answer until Thursday.

This is where it gets interesting. Get a text this morning that he got an email appraising the cue as a D1 worth 80-100$. Naturally, he said he wants MORE than our agreed upon price. The pics in the ad were crappy, so I only knew it was an old McDermott, but not what model. I respond saying that I'd be happy to pay the agreed upon about and still meet tonight. His v response was that I'm a cheap person wood lowballing him. Best part is that he guarantees that I'll get "a few paid lessons" from him if I show up.

So now I have to go and see what's up. Besides, I was already 5 minutes away from the pool hall at this point. I offer to buy him a beer and diffuse the situation a bit. I explain that his messages came off as a bait and switch kind of deal, but I still wanted to see the cue and maybe work out a deal. Most ironically, he proceeds to tell me that he's a man of his word, yada yada... And by not showing up on Sunday, or deal was negated.

Now some of you know me well enough to know how I do business. If I'm ever in the wrong, I try to make it right, and I always deal fairly. I switch to a different tack at this point and offer to play him for the cue straight up. If he wins, I pay original asking price, but if I win, I walk out with the cue. He wants 100$ on my end... I go as far as to offer 75$ in case I lose!! No dice.

And this guy says I'm cheap.... He wouldn't bet a nickel that hens lay eggs. What are your guys' thoughts??? Am I crazy or do you think I was in the wrong?

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

My thought is remembering a deal you and I had that you called-off stating you got a better offer.
 
Chopdoc

Chopdoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Type79 said:
My thought is remembering a deal you and I had that you called-off stating you got a better offer.
Click to expand...


bazinga.png




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worktheknight

worktheknight

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have never come across a big big win finding a cue that was at a bargain price, but, I remember
some college kids moved in to one of their grandpa's house after he passed away and they found
three cues, one being a D-19. They wanted $ 150.00 for all three cues. I wrote them telling them
they could probably get $ 600 to $ 800 for the three cues as this was back in the day.

If the person found out they had something worth more, I do believe a better fair price is in order and hopefully they would still give you first chance.
 
galipeau

galipeau

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Type79 said:
My thought is remembering a deal you and I had that you called-off stating you got a better offer.
Click to expand...
You have my most sincere apologies if I did the same to you at any point in time. I sent you a PM for more info. It must have been quite a while ago, as I can't recall our transaction.

ADDENDUM:
Thank you for taking time to speak offline Jay. From looking back on our old PM's we never committed to a deal on those cues. I had many offers on the cues in question that didn't go anywhere.

Not closing a deal that's in a negotiation state is something that happens all the time. If I had committed and agreed to sell you those cues, then proceeded to bail, I would have been wrong. But that's not what happened...

As it stands, my conscience is clear, and I feel the need to post this publicly to back up my stance and defend my reputation.


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galipeau

galipeau

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Also, I failed to mention that when I got there the tip was missing, ferrule was loose, and the cue was warped...

Buyer beware I suppose.


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I

Inaction

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
In 2008, I found a power chair for my Father-in-Law on Craigslist. It was listed for $400 and in Omaha, a 3.5 hour drive. I told him we would drive down to look at it on the following Saturday.

A couple days later, a new ad was posted for another chair, that was only used one time (hit the wall and was afraid to use it again) for $400. I told him we would take it and come on Saturday to pick it up.

30 minutes after we left, he calls to report that someone else offered $500. I said that we would pay $475, but did not want to continue driving unless he assured us that we purchased it. He agreed, and we continued.

Just outside of Omaha, the phone rings again. He said he just sold it to the other guy for $500.

&$^#%@

I call the first guy, and arranged a time to meet. We ended up buying that chair, then went to Runza for lunch (great sandwiches), and headed north again to deliver the surprise to my wife's Dad.

After I got home, I emailed the second guy and told him a few things, and that I would have paid $650. (which I would have for a new chair).

By the way, we drove right past Big John's Billiards on the way to the second guy's house. (pool related?)
 
Chopdoc

Chopdoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
galipeau said:
Also, I failed to mention that when I got there the tip was missing, ferrule was loose, and the cue was warped...

Buyer beware I suppose.


Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk
Click to expand...



Classic!

Those ferrules get loose with age.

Warped? Not worth much....Make some kid a decent player maybe. Or something to put in the wall rack at home so the banger guests can feel like they are players....

Those D-1 cues are pretty commony available.


I bought one because it had a brown bumper. I'll sell the cue with a black bumper. I wanted that brown bumper for one of my early McDermotts.

Early brown, red, blue, and green McDermott bumpers are harder to find than Brunswick KU brown bumpers. Very hard to find.

Many of the "original" early McDermotts on ebay are actually obviously refinished, have a new butts cap, and an incorrect bumper. (obvious to me anyway) The sellers say they are original, and they are definitely not.




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M

maha

from way back when
Silver Member
really though in dealing with a stranger on the phone until you get the money no deal has been made in except the eyes of the buyer who often never shows up. so i always tell the person, first with the money gets the goods.

i dont blame the guy as you canceled the first appointment. and he found out it was worth more and probably believed you knew it. so why in his mind does he owe you any courtesy of holding and selling it to you.
 
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